Long non-coding RNAs as novel therapeutic targets in cancer

Thanks to impressive technology advancements, pervasive expression of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) has been recently identified in the genome of numerous cancers. Long ncRNAs (IncRNAs) belong to a new class of ncRNAs including tens of thousands different species. A fraction of these molecules shows a striking cancer-enriched expression pattern, suggesting an essential role in tumor cells and, possibly, a utility in therapeutic terms. This review aims at summarizing current knowledge for the identification and validation of IncRNAs as therapeutics targets in tumors. Both in-silico and wet-biology resources are presented in relation to the many challenges that the scientific community still needs to address in terms of IncRNA identification, stratification, patient personalization, drug delivery and toxicity. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.